ShePublishes: A Celebratory Giveaway
Contributor
Written by
Sarah Pinneo
January 2012
Contributor
Written by
Sarah Pinneo
January 2012

The Adventures of a Query Queen

By Sarah Pinneo

Today it is finally true. After years of work, two manuscripts, and who knows how many queries, my novel hits bookstore shelves, published by Plume, an imprint of Penguin USA.

Julia's Child is a Cinderella story about a mom who wants very much to see her product, a line of organic toddler foods, on the shelves at Whole Foods. It doesn't take a genius to notice how closely that dream resembles that of a writer who wants to see her book published.

I've been a member of SheWrites since the summer of 2009, when my adventure was just beginning. And hands down, my most satisfying SheWrites experience has been helping to critique other writers' query letters in the Query Critique v 2.0 Forum.

Even though today is my publication date, and though I have a bookstore event to prepare and a new manuscript that needs my attention, I'll still swing by the query forum to see who's feeling stuck.

Because I love queries.

I wrote my first query letter in 2005. First, I read a book on the subject, its edges quickly filling with colorful flags as I bookmarked the most crucial bits. That query, for The Ski House Cookbook was ultimately successful, and the book was published in 2007. It was very exciting to see my name on that shiny dust cover in the Cooking section. But the truth was, I had used the cookbook as procrastination. What I really wanted to write was a novel.

Although it took a lot of time and a couple of false starts, I did it. And then came the query writing again. There were a couple of books which really helped me learn the art of the query, and take the fear away. More about those in a minute. 

But first I want to say this: if you're querying for an agent right this minute, even if you've racked up 100 rejections already, I'm more than a little bit nostalgic for your plight. Because you have a finished manuscript in hand, and a crystal clear mission. I understand that this might not feel like a blessing of while your desk is papered over with rejection letters. I've been there. But the query process is, at least, a common bottleneck on the way to success. That means you will find compatriots along the path. And there's a structure to it--there are rules. No other part of the publication journey is nearly as orderly.

There are lots of great query resources on the web, and I'm happy to point you in their direction. But there were a couple of books that helped me on the long slog from the slush pile to the bookstore. And now I want to pass them on. Please raise your hand if you could benefit from these:

  1. Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye, edited by Katherine Sands. This book, now out of print, was invaluable to me. It is an anthology of 40 essays and interviews, each one by a different agent. That is, between two covers, 40 different literary agents tell you, in their own words, what they want to see in a query. It wasn't until after I read this book that I finally understood query writing. The book is good for both fiction and non-fiction writers.
  2. The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman. Lukeman is a successful agent, and the book is subtitled: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile. 
  3. The Sell Your Novel Tool Kit by Elizabeth Lyons

These books are like old friends now. But I'm betting they'll be more useful to someone else. If you would like to enter yourself in the Great Query Book Giveaway, and you live in the US, please leave a comment below. On Tuesday February 6th, I will choose one comment at random. The winner will receive all three books.

Lastly, I want to say thank you. I find SheWrites to be a terrific, supportive community of women writers. If there's anything I can do to help you figure out your own query path, please don't hesitate to shoot me a note. I'm happy to help.

Sarah Pinneo is the newly minted author of Julia's Child (Plume 2012) and the co-author of The Ski House Cookbook (Clarkson Potter 2007). She edits the book publicity blog Blurb is a Verb. Visit her at www.SarahPinneo.com.

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Comments
  • Victoria Noe

    Yes, I'm querying, and it keeps me determined. I do obsess over tweaking them to meet different agents' needs. But I also send thank you email for rejections (one rejection was really nice). Those just make me more determined, as I send a full proposal to an agent who said "this is a book that needs to be read" when I pitched her. It is, and it will be: I just haven't found the right agent yet. But I will!

  • Tami Richards Querying

    Congratulations! Happy book publishing day to you.

  • Marcia Rosen

    See writers...dreams can come true!!!!

  • Joanne Huspek

    I love when someone's dream comes true...it keeps me dreaming! Congratulations on your book - in print!

  • Noradeen Farlekas

    Congratulations! and thank you!

  • Anna Hannon Gill

    Congratulations and thank you.  I think you are the Query Queen and make it look much less intimidating.  I can't wait for your next book and know you will keep them rolling out.

  • Petrea Burchard

    I do believe it, Sarah--that you're happy to help, at least--I'm not sure I believe you love queries!

    Congratulations. Such a big day!

  • Yejide Kilanko

    Congratulations :)

  • cheryl stahle

    The perfect day to ready this....I'm at my wit's end with query letters!

  • Karla Brown

    Sarah, congratulations on the new book. Querying is the devil! LOl I'd appreciate any help.

    Karla 

  • Candy Fite

    Sarah, I'm so very, very proud of you!! I was sitting in the surgeon's office when I saw your tweet and immediately had to reply & retweet. :)) I was trying to think this past weekend how long I've been with She Writes, since July 2010, I think. Right away I got involved with the query group, and instantly I was captivated by not only your attention to others' queries, but how you replied with such knowledge and experience. Each reply assisted the query writer to make improvements on their own. My favorite reply from you started with, "I challenge you to..." You instructed others like a teacher instructs a student.


    I've always admired your kindness, tact, and sincere willingness to assist with queries. And, I love that you feel comfortable enough to call me on the phone and tell me I'd been hacked ;) or shout out for assistance on Twitter!

    So happy for you, and I look forward to reading your novel. It sounds delightful. :))

  • MT Bostick

    Wow! How generous and thank you for the opportunity! I struggle with the query letter even the logline. All three books would be invaluable to me. I've just started, this month, purchasing books on how to write a fiction novel, on style, grammar, and everything in between. No matter the lucky winner, those books will become valuable treasure, and hopefully sent along to another novice writer when the knowledge has been picked clean from between the covers.

  • Joanne C. Hillhouse

    Congrats on your book launch, Sarah. I actually hate the query process but I like the way you look at it.

  • Alexa Ara

    This is inspiring me to read a book on queries before I create my next one for my memoir, about my childhood in a bizarre religious cult.

  • Erin Emerson

    Congratulations Sarah!  I'm so excited for you & looking forward to reading.  

  • saturnbull

    Well, somebody HAS to love queries, I suppose. :)

    Congrats, Sarah.

  • Patricia A. McGoldrick

    Congrats!!

  • Gili Malinsky

    Hi Sarah, well done on your latest success! Truly exciting, I hope we can all find ourselves in the same position soon :) And, I would, of course, love to enter the contest to win those fantastic books. Can always use more tips on query writing!

    Thanks so much!

  • Jennifer Vail

    Congratulations Sarah! Your feedback on Query Critique 2.0 is always so right on and has been so helpful in getting my query letter and synopsis into something I can feel good about sending out. Good luck with your new book. It sounds like a fun read.

  • Kat Ward

    Dear Sarah: Congratulations! Kudos for writing and getting the cookbook published, then continuing to follow your real dream of writing & publishing a novel. What a very exciting day. Enjoy.

  • Robin Underdahl

    Sarah,

    A few years ago I was at a Washington Independent Writers conference listening to five agents on a panel. One told us unequivocally that if your book is good enough it will get published. The other four all rolled their eyes. No one challenged the statement openly, but afterwards audience members besieged the four, for the comfort of hearing all of them admit that the books that get published are not necessarily the best ones written.

    That was encouraging because I can hope that the rejections do not reflect on the value of my work! That moment has helped me to keep trying with the agent process (without letting it completely derail the production of fresh fiction). Thank you so much for your help. 

    Robin Underdahl

  • Andrea Monroe

    Congratulations! Boy...but spread the wealth. Maybe give a book to three different people? I know that's more postage, but just a thought.

  • Rosemary DiBattista

     

    SheDeservesIt. Congrats!